NSW vows to amend rules for heavy vehicle mechanics

New legislation ended the need for heavy vehicle mechanics to be qualified.

New South Wales has committed to reinstating a requirement for qualified mechanics to work on heavy vehicles.

The State Government’s Motor Dealers and Repairers Act allowed unqualified mechanics to work on vehicles over 4.5 tonnes, Fairfax reports.

The Transport Workers Union (TWU) and the Motor Traders Association of NSW raised safety concerns about the move, and roads minister Duncan Gay told Fairfax there would be "an urgent change in regulation" to address the issue.

Fairfax reports that Gay and his department will work with the Office of Fair Trading to ensure heavy vehicle mechanics must be qualified.

The NSW Government this week boasted the Act, introduced on December 1, would deliver the best vehicle safety standards and protection in Australia.

The Act reduced the number of licence types for dealers, recyclers and repairers, made significant changes relating to tradesperson certification and introduced a new dealer dispute resolution mechanism.

Fair Trading Minister Matthew Mason-Cox has championed the Act as a win for consumers because it establishes a ‘name and shame’ register of dealers and repairers.

"This comprehensive register will allow consumers to check if a dealer or repairer has a current licence, as well as whether they have been issued with any penalty notices, including a brief description of the offence and penalty imposed," he says.

"The register will record if any disciplinary action has been noted against the licence holder or been prosecuted for an offence under the Act."

The Act introduces stronger penalties for odometer tampering and give the Officer of Fair Trading greater powers to require dealers and repairers to fix faults without consumers needing to take legal action.